FUEL CAFE

We are here twice while on vacation! The food was fantastic and the staff were kind and attentive. As a vegan, I loved that they had so many options available for us to eat. The vegan scramble was one of my favorite tofu scramble I’ve ever had. Great potatoes and toast as well. This place is a gem and I am excited to plan a return visit (or two) here!

My partner and I went here on a trip and it was one of the best places we ate the whole time we were in Portland. I had the Eggs Benedict on gf bread and it was the best eggs benny I've had, which says a lot because I'm a connoisseur! Plus their rosemary potatoes had me drooling they were so good. I also had the best lavender latte I've ever had here and have been trying a bunch of places near where I live and none of them even come close. My partner had gluten free pancakes and very much enjoyed them. They were fluffy and delicious. All in all, from service to quality of food, this was an amazing experience. Can't wait to go back.

Great little eatery on the east side serving delicious comfort foods with their own unique twist. The service was great, the staff were friendly and attentive and the food came out pretty quickly. The food was great, it was flavorful and served hot! The biscuits were really good and they were made from scratch which is pretty neat. 10/10 we’ll be back!

Where do I even begin! The food is amazing! If you’re trying to decide where to eat right now, look no further. We had eggs Benedict on biscuits with the rosemary potatoes (though I’m dying to try the grits!), and it was amazing! I’m a big eggs benny fan, and this is the best I had in years. I think maybe it had lemon and dill in the hollandaise sauce, and I don’t think I can go back to plain sauce now! We also got the soyrizo breakfast burrito and damn. It was huge delicious and ginormous. So good even non-vegetarians would gobble it up. Cant wait to go back and try more things! Especially those grits…

We had a lovely brunch at Fuel Cafe! My wife had the strawbery waffle special with bacon and an extra side of grits. I had the all American breakfast plate - eggs, bacon, grits, biscuit and fruit. Didn't order the rosemary breakfast potatoes but they came with the order by mistake so we ate them anyway!

Fuel Cafe is another staple of Alberta Street, has been around for a number of years, and always has good eats and drinks during breakfast and lunch. Fuel favorites, pancakes and waffles, omelets, and my favorite, biscuits and grave. Burgers and sandwiches, they have lots of choices for everyone. Organic and gluten-free options, and of course vegetarian. Kids' meals are not excluded. Check out this locally owned cafe.

There was no wait on a Saturday morning at 10am which was great. Outside seating is nice. Service was good and food was ready pretty quickly. The eggs Benedict was only ok, the eggs were medium to hard and not runny at all. The hollandaise was not as rich as I would have liked. The biscuit and jalapeno grits were great though!

I'm a gluten-free vegetarian, and I was blown away with their delicious options. So delicious and no wait to get it. I had their Grits in the Garden and their gluten-free biscuit on the side. It was incredible. Best gluten-free biscuit I've ever had!

This was our first visit to Fuel Cafe and on this lovely summer day we grabbed an outside table in the shade. The device was prompt and friendly, thank you. The location is great for people watching. We ordered a bowl and a BLAT. The sandwich came with the addition of deli turkey and only 2 slices of bacon. So it was more a club than a BLT. The bowl was sautéed, as expected, but more than I like. I could not distinguish and flavors of basil, or pesto in the dish so I found it too bland. We have heard rave reviews of this spot from friends, so maybe it was our selections or just a bad day.

Great location, great food quality, and great staff. I was please with my omelet, the iced tea was on point, and the staff was warm and inviting. I will definitely return. Wait was none at all compared to Tin Shed across the street.

This is a great place for brunch, good menu options with gluten/vegan/dairy free options. I couldn't get enough of their lavender mimosa!

Lorraine had great customer service. Some friends and I came in on a Wednesday morning after staying at the Kennedy School McMenamins. Lots of options for all the dietary restrictions. The salmon benedict and vegan hash with avocado were the stand out dishes. We'll be back!

I am so looking forward to Fuel's reopening? I've been for breakfast many times & never left hungry or disappointed.

We went here because it said gluten free option and vegan as well. They score top marks for both. The Vegan scramble was delicious, the potatoes served with it were perfect. We had a the gluten free breakfast sandwich that was huge (see picture). We also had the oat meal that was a great sized bowl and delicious as well. Our oat milk chai was so creamy and tasty. Our the tea drinker did English Breakfast and loved that tea as well. Highly recommend this place for breakfast

Talk about a great backup plan! Twice now, I've been on a mission to brunch with friends on Alberta, but we've run in to long lines and crazy wait times. Luckily, both times we were able to squeeze in to this awesome place. Service has been friendly and helpful and the food is great -- particularly the jalapeño cheese grits. Mmmmm. Of course, I'll still try to pop in to some of the places I've never been, but it's great knowing that there's an A+ second option close by. Will for sure be back.

We were going to a BBQ food cart, but the staff wasn't friendly, and I couldn't read the prices (like they were covered up or faded, but no matter - unreadable), and no one else was dining, I just felt a negative vibe, so off searching for a new place to eat, when we found the outdoor seating in the shade looks inviting! The menu looks inviting. We were able to find a seat in a corner, in the shade, that was a bonus, the owner/host was too friendly, we decided to dine here! The restaurant has a cozy feel inside and out. Hubby ordered a Tuna Melt with a side of Potato Salad. They were both yummy! I ordered the Cobb Salad with a Ranch on the side. I've been eating for awhile when I noticed, something's missing with my salad. No HARD BOILED EGGS. We flagged down our waitress and told her I am missing a hard boiled egg. She said she would talk to the cook about. Later, the waitress came out, if a poached egg would substitute hard boiled eggs, it's faster to cook. I said: Sure, just cook it a little longer. I actually like them, poached, it's a new taste for me, and I didn't have to peel the shells! They can improve their restaurants, by offering desserts! Note: We were in another store, when hubby realized, he left his Credit Card at the restaurant, because both of us needed to use the restroom (it was clean by the way). I called the store, but they're already closed. I messaged them through Facebook, and almost right away, I got a reply, asking husband's name, and if we could swing by there in 15 mins. since her husband was the register. We were planning to go there early the next day, but we're at MLK, and just 8 mins. from Fuel, so we got there and he was able to retrieve his CC. Thank you for that! While there, the owner was busy sweeping up the outside area of the restaurant.

Came here after a 5k at the Portland International Raceway on our way back into SE Portland. We were initially going to Tin Shed, but they had an hour wait and we were ready for food now! We saw Fuel Cafe across the street and were quickly seated. This was Saturday around 9:45am. The three Benedicts we got were the bacon waffle, egg florentine, and bacon. You can get these dishes with either potatoes or jalapeño grits. My friend also got a small cappuccino which was more than enough for her! The bacon Benedict was an excellent dish. Combining a light and fluffy Belgian waffle with two perfectly poached eggs with dreamy hollandaise sauce over the top. The potato's were cut and seasoned perfectly. Each bit had a nice crunch to it. To top it off, they provided hot maple syrup. Overall, this was an amazing breakfast experience and we were so surprised to not have to wait for a seat on a Saturday morning! I really want to try their pancakes next time!

This place was jam packed so we didn't think we'd have time to stay but the line went fast, the food came out quick and it got gobbled down. Everyone stopped talking which says a lot. Great super attentive staff.

The food was incredible! Very tasty and service was a little slow but not a problem, I recommend for an authentic tasty Portland breakfast. Scrumptious

Had brunch delivered through DD. Ate it so quickly pics weren't an option! Sorry, not sorry. Eggs Florentine with biscuits and polenta was scrumptious. Blueberry Paleo Pancakes was delicious and yummy Belgian Waffle. All delivered with mindfulness in the packaging and condiments. Will pop in soon for some Lavender Mimosas. See you soon Fuel Cafe. Thank you

Always curious about this place while waiting to eat at Tin Shed. Today we decided to go here instead of waiting for 2 hours at TS as there was no wait here. We put our names on the list and asked for outside. The hostess came by to tell us inside was available, which after some thought we agreed to as the wait for the picnic tables seemed long although there was plenty of seating inside and out. She then proceeded to walk by us multiple times and we waited 10-15 minutes. We decided to go elsewhere as clearly they don't need or want the business.

We came here for brunch. Very interesting outlook as it is not busy compared to Tin Shed which was across the street. Food was a little below average for us. There were several mixups with my mom's salad and she was upset about it since it was missing some ingredients. They also accidentally charged us more than what we ordered. I had the smoked salmon benedict; the smoked salmon was not good. I didnt expect a cooked salmon. The service was just okay.

What a wonderful way to wake up! We decided to try this black owned business on the recommendation of a friend. The staff was super courteous, very friendly, it's a wonderful laid-back atmosphere. Several two tops that could be pushed together, and two tables I could probably fit six - 8. The jalapeño grits have just the right amount of jalapeño. I am kind of spice averse, and I need it to make sure to mix it in really good with the rest of my food, but my girlfriend who loves spice can eat the cake directly and stated that she thought it was mild. So to each their own. It was a very delicious mix into my greens! Large portions of filling food. Everything taste so fresh and perfect. The biscuits are back this morning, gravy was amazing. Definitely coming back! Holy cow I am so happy!

Great sandwiches and Betsy was such a pleasant and accommodating server. Cute place just off the I5 corridor and prices were reasonable as well.

Great atmosphere, delicious and dangerous drinks. Great place for brunch with friends.

This was a little jewel we found walking around Alberta Street which is its own little neighborhood within the neighborhood. The sandwiches were delicious it was a little scary because the tuna had onions in it but I never tasted them I had the tuna melt I opted not for the sides offered chips and salsa or potato salad. A little too much starch for me. I was afraid that the tuna salad which was made with onions would be an agreeable with me, but truthfully, I could not taste the onions. The bread was toasted perfectly with the nice grill marks. My guest had the turkey pesto panini sandwich I opted for a glass of the house Chardonnay which was fine.

A few weeks ago, my friends and I went to fuel cafe for brunch. The cafe gave me diner vibes with a comfort of home given the wooden interior. There was no wait time to get seated and the friendly server was immediately attentive. We ordered the sunmosas to start the morning! I loved the hint of lavender and blueberries. I ordered the I Heart Vegan Bowl because I couldn't decide between the bowl or a vegan scramble! I loved the natural ingredients with the bowl being loaded with quinoa and soyrizo. Though it was a little plain, I think it was a better choice than the vegan scramble, which my friend ordered. However, she liked her scramble along with the the portion size but thought it was a little too plain for her satisfaction.

I was with a group of friends and we were heading to another place for brunch but ended up eating here. It became clear in the middle of our brunch that the place was under staffed. We sat waiting to order for a while. We watched as staff prioritized other duties before taking our order. Our server was kind but was forgetful. We all order different things from the menu from eggs Benedict, breakfast sandwich, biscuits and gravy, and the transitional breakfast. I personally had the breakfast sandwich. It wasn't terrible but not something I would order again. Once we were finished we again waited too long to sign the check. I'll go back when they are fully staffed and give them another chance.

The food was ultimately OK. Prices are fairly expensive for simple breakfast food. Everything was bland, needed too much salt for my liking. I had a modification for my order and the server quite literally sighed. Said it was okay afterwards, but it most definitely felt like a burden after that reaction. And don't get me started on the fruit flies inside the place! If you're looking to eat here, choose to sit outside. I saw raving reviews for this place on Google, but it did not meet my expectations. Would not visit again.

Pretty good. Calm quiet ambiance, solid food. Strong coffee. Server was super nice and accommodating. I'd come back.

Cute neighborhood cafe! My family of 3 (plus the pup) were quickly seated outside as requested on a Sunday afternoon with no reservation. My husband and I ordered coffee and it came in the most beautiful, massive ceramic mugs, we loved them. We ordered 2 different eggs benedicts and a kids waffle with strawberries - it was huge! And delicious, a cinnamon-sugar like batter. A great family brunch spot!

My wife and I aren't vegetarian... our daughter is leaning that way. She encouraged us to try it, and we loved the food. I had the SW bowl... my wife the NW bowl... daughter a "ham"burger, and also a bread bowl with spinach artichoke dip to share. Meals perfectly prepared, great ingredients, and a charming staff-- they all made us feel very welcome. The menu even lists informative documentaries on vegetarian & animal food issues. Healthy, delicious food with a smile and a conscience. We'll be back!

Whenever you want brunch on the weekend in Portland, you know you're gonna be waiting a long time especially on Alberta . Luckily Fuel Cafe cleared out their brunch rush right as we got there and we were not disappointed! I of course had to get a classic Eggs Benedict with a side of roasted potatoes and a mimosa to start my day off the right way. The yolk was perfectly cooked and I loved how they gave enough hollandaise sauce so I could mix it up with everything. They have a good variety of drinks and dishes to choose from that will definitely satisfy all your brunch cravings! It's a typical American breakfast place so you can't go wrong here!

I've been here once and sat outside on a sunny winter day with a friend. I ordered an Americano and Cheese jalapeño grits with poached eggs, mushrooms, kale, spinach, onions and hollandaise. It was tasty but lacked salt...we got some salt and hot sauce which made it better. Servers were friendly. I'd come back to try something else. Very dog friendly outside.

Very friendly place and great food. It's a good choice if you're in the neighborhood. It was chill and the wait wasn't bad at all.

Back at fuel again! Great food and I can taste the southern touch. Perfect biscuit! Also extra manager on staff checking on customers. Comp'd our mimosas because of wrong flavor. Love the music and Amazing service, thank you so much!

Nice little place, some good options for breakfast food! I thought my omelette was delicious, and the portions were good. I actually really appreciated the sides and drinks the most though. The fruit cup was so much better than the ones I see at most restaurants, lots of fruits with a good variety. And I was very impressed with the tea, you get your own pot with looseleaf tea. I would definitely come again.

I'm not sure why people are stoked on this place. My experience ordering from Fuel through doordash was not great. Food was cold, eggs were not over-well like I asked for on my Florentine Benedict, the yolks were running all over my stuff which I absolutely hate. And they're bacon wasn't fully cooked and tasted like it. And the tomatoes were just scary looking and not remotely fresh. Also, no Hollandaise sauce I've ever had traditionally has dill in it. It's not a great flavor when you're wanting that classic lemony Hollandaise taste in my opinion. Thanks for GrubHub for crediting me back at least. I'll pass on brunch at Fuel in the future.

we come here regularly, and wanted to sit outside on a warm day for lunch in front.....kenzi was the staff person, and she was great!..we spoke of the aurora borealis..............i had a mimosa, and my partner had a irish cream coffee....next, i had the tuna salad no dressing, olives, and onions...she had the huevos rancheros and one blueberry pancake...all the food/drink was superb....kenzi was charming, quick, brought to go containers/bags since we were walking.....thx so much...

I had the best chilaquiles here (they go by migas on the menu). They had the perfect amount of spice, and the chips in it had the perfect amount of crunch, and not tooo soggy. The pancake was okay. I really wanted to try the waffle but I knew that would be too much. And this gives me a reason to come back. They seem to be doing very well at social distancing. I saw this place on Ubereats and figured I would go dine in, so I can get the experience. SO MANY VEGETARIAN AND VEGAN OPTIONS.

Ordered a smoothie, a biscuit sandwich, and...whatever you call this concoction on 9/13 Sunday. I also ordered the English muffin as extra toasty, the egg on the sandwich ass over hard, and told them it needs to be cooked through as my GF is pregnant. It's runny. The smoothie is really good! I got the Immune, and it actually is rather sweet as most of the green smoothies can be bitter. Not sure if I'll ever come back. Maybe as a dine-in guest only. $38 later and I just want to cook my own breakfast. I understand it's covid..but cmon. Bit ridiculous if you ask me.

Food was delicious and very seasoned for being a tofu scramble!! It's a bit small inside, but the staff is super accommodating. If you're looking for a satisfying brunch, head here.

I've only been here once SO FAR, but the service was amazing and my meal was excellent. I noticed that the vegan meals weren't a 10/10 but I didn't try them. I'll definitely be back!

Went for breakfast, ordered the migas. It was just OK... but 1) way too many chips (even for a migas fan), 2) was only partially warm having sat for some time before the waitress noticed our food was up. The waiter/waitress was friendly, but not efficient. Waited again a long time to pay the bill (admittedly a huge pet peeve of mine), despite it not being busy. I wanted to like this place, but frankly not sure it's better than just OK.

This place was pretty great! I was happy with the food and the speed of our to go order was impressive. We ordered food on a Sunday morning & it was ready to pick up in less than 20 mins. The woman on the phone was friendly and I saw they had delivery options too. We ordered biscuits and gravy and the soyrizo scramble. I can't remember the name of it but it was listed as one of their specials. The scramble was so flavorful! I was impressed. It had fresh jalapeño mixed in with the eggs and soyrizo and cheese it also was topped with avocado. The salsa wasn't my favorite but the dish was not lacking without it. So no complaints overall. The food was packaged nicely for to go and parking was easy enough. I'll probably pop by again if I'm in the area and I would recommend you do the same. With vegetarian, vegan, and meat eater options this place will work for anyone.

We're visiting Portland for a few days. We are staying near this lovely cafe & are sad that we couldn't eat inside, but our takeout breakfast was delightful. We had a pancake, South of the Border omelette (with fruit) & Bacon Waffle Benedict (NOTE: comes with hollandaise sauce, NOT syrup so if you want "sweet" you need to ask -- we didn't know but it was good anyway, once we got past the disappointment of no "sweet"). We also had Mexican Mocha lattes that were AMAZING! HIGH octane, which we needed for the day's activities. If we lived here, we'd definitely frequent this cafe. Pickup was quick & easy. We called in the order & it was ready when they said (about 20min later).

This is the best vegetarian/vegan friendly brunch spot! I had grits in the garden and it was delicious. Love this place so much!

I only have ONE complaint about this restaurant: they will not crisp your breakfast potatoes. This is a lovely breakfast cafe that I have enjoyed going to for years. I've never gotten a plate that I didn't enjoy! The pancakes are huge and the service is very very good. The tofu scramble is amazeballs! But guess what comes alongside of the scramble....? That's right, potatoes. How do I like my potatoes? Crispy at the very minimum, but I even can go for extra crispy sometimes. Today was the third time in a row that I phoned in my order and specifically stated "EXTRA CRISPY POTATOES" please and picked up the food, brought it home to eat, and immediately noticed the underwhelming and barely cooked side of potatoes. Please see photo. They aren't even slightly crispy! I understand that maybe they JUST. DON'T. CRISP. POTATOES. But it's better to just tell me the truth instead of getting my hopes up. Tomorrow I will pan-fry the leftovers and have the meal the way I ordered it!

Black owned business with excellent food, short wait times, and great service. I ate here the first time after going to Tin Shed (across the street) and there being an hour long wait. I walked in, ordered a Benedict, and now I'm a customer for life. Tin Shed who? Don't sleep on this spot Portland!

While the atmosphere and food were great my only complaint would be my drink. My bloody marry consisted of tomatoe juice ice and alcohol for $13 and I was nearly done dining when I received it. The menu presented it to come with all the usual fixings including celery olives or bacon, this was not the case. Definitely not worth $13. The food was great but that's the last time I'll dine or order any alcohol.

Everybody was nice. That's about the end of the positive things I can say. $4 for coffee and they didn't come around with refills, so we had to ask. Bloody Mary was $13 and pretty bland. Migas had hard avocado and soft tortilla chips. The server didn't check in on us. We had to flag them down. Asked for the check and it took about 30 minutes from that point to get out the door. Took a while to get the check, then took too long for the check to be picked up and waaaay too long for the check to come back. I wouldn't go here again.

An excellent weekend eatery, kind staff and delicious food. Came back the next morning for seconds. Their migas is incredible. Full menu, lots of options. Would highly recommend.

Way better then Tin Shed, we waited for a seat at Tim Shed but they had to many people and came to this place and the food is great!

Incredible food, great music, kind and attentive staff, quick service- 12/10. Hands down, one of the best meals I've ever had. Pancakes 15/10. Hollandaise 13/10. Potatoes!? Incredible. Everything is fresh and delicious. I will be back here again and again. Thank you, Fuel Cafe!

Loved my outdoor breakfast of Huevos Rancheros Plate. So delicious. Sitting near beautiful flowers and shrubs watching people go by. A lovely experience.

Tried to go to the patio down the street and was told they didn't have room - had pup in tow so stumbled over here and so glad I did. What a great little brunch spot! Delicious food, great service, cute little location. Will definitely return.

I love that this place is black owned but the food is mediocre at best. The potatoes were hard and stale and felt like leftovers. Unless you order their standard fare it might not be as good. I ordered an omelette w spinach and grilled onions and the whole thing was a wet soggy mess. Too much water from the spinach. They didn't add salt or pepper which is fine, but the quality of these simple ingredients fell short. My partner ordered the eggs Benedict and felt the same. To be fair, they were at the height of a horrid heatwave and everything was off in Portland. The customer service, however, gets 5-stars. Those folks were hustling.